F1: Perez tops final practice for USGP

Red Bull Honda driver Sergio Perez turned the fastest lap in final practice for the USGP at COTA.

However, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton both had faster laps (3/10th and 2/10ths faster), but their times were deleted for exceeding the track limits.

Perez’ lap of 1m34.701s was 0.104s faster than the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz Jr. and 0.211s faster than Verstappen’s 2nd best lap.

Lando Norris was a close 4th 0.244s back and just ahead of Valtteri Bottas who was 0.287s back in 5th in the 2nd Mercedes.

Lewis Hamilton wound up 6th fastest, 0.518s behind.

One thing is for sure, the top two teams look like having all four drivers on song here, and that fight for pole could be an absolute epic. Will they all find that ideal racing line, or will someone nudge things just a bit too far and lose a crucial lap time?

With Sainz ending up second, has the pendulum swung back towards Ferrari here? Maybe, maybe not. Norris was just over a tenth further back in fourth, with Ricciardo winding up ahead of Leclerc. Too tight to call.

With those four teams all having both drivers in the top 10, that left just two slots for the rest. Those went to Gasly in eighth – no surprises there, the Frenchman has been strong over one lap all season. P10 went to Ocon, with that Alpine starting to come into its own here.

Practice 3 Results